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<P><B><A NAME="1"></A>1  Introduction</B></P>

<P>Welcome to the Railway Operation Simulator (RailOS), a program that allows you design, build and operate your own railway.</P>

<P>The main features include the ability to:</P>

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	<LI>build a railway of any size;<BR><BR></LI>

	<LI>add text of any available colour, font and size; <BR><BR></LI>

	<LI>set preferred and bi-directional running directions; <BR><BR></LI>

	<LI>choose light or dark backgrounds;<BR><BR></LI>

	<LI>add user-defined graphics;<BR><BR></LI>

	<LI>develop timetables with shuttle services, changes in direction, splits, joins, and repeating services; <BR><BR></LI>

	<LI>operate trains under timetable or signaller control;<BR><BR></LI>	

	<LI>save an operating session to continue later;<BR><BR></LI>

	<LI>allow random train failures and delays; and<BR><BR></LI>

	<LI>zoom-out for a wider display.</LI>
</UL>

<P>The minimum recommended screen resolution is 1024 x 768.  RailOS will adapt to other resolutions and to resized windows but the higher the resolution the better it will be to use.</P>

<P>A wide selection of track types is available for building the railway, together with station elements consisting of platforms, concourses, footbridges and underpasses.  Also available are non-station named locations for sidings, works, depots, junction approaches and anything else that needs a name.  Location names and other text are displayed in user-selectable font, style, size and colour.  Location names and other text may be moved in order to improve the appearance of the railway and areas of track may be selected and cut, copied, pasted, deleted, mirrored, flipped and rotated.  </P>

<P>Railway files may be saved and loaded in both development form during construction and in operational form on completion.  Track element lengths and line speed limits may be set individually, along tracks, or in areas by selection, as can preferred running directions.</P>

<P>Trains may operate to a timetable developed using the internal timetable editor, or under signaller control.  Three types of route are available:- </P>

<P><U>Automatic signal routes:</U>  set either signal to signal or signal to any following signal in preferred directions, the route is retained after trains pass and signals automatically return to green (in stages for other than two-aspect signals) as blocks ahead are cleared;</P>

<P><U>Preferred direction routes:</U>  set either signal to signal or signal to any following signal in preferred directions, the route is cleared as trains pass; and</P>

<P><U>Unrestricted routes:</U>  set from most types of track element to other track elements in any direction, again the route is cleared as trains pass.</P>

<P>In addition trains will run on track that has no route set, but they are then much more vulnerable to derailments and crashes.</P>

<P>Signalling can be two, three or four-aspect, and ground signals are also available.</P>

<P><b>Please note that the terms 'point' (singular) and 'points' (plural) are UK railway terms for what in other countries are termed 'switch' or 'switches'.  This manual uses UK terminology.  The singular 'point' is often referred to as a 'set of points' in UK railway documents but 'point' will be used herein for brevity.</b></P>

<p>The official RailOS website is at https://www.railwayoperationsimulator.com/. Here can be found hundreds of railway projects and a vast amount of help to assist in building, timetabling and operating railways.  Also available are several utilities for use in conjunction with RailOS (See section 7)</p>
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